Blessings Through Trials

COVID-One Year Thoughts

I guess we’ll start seeing a ton of different blog posts as we near the one-year anniversary of everything shutting down from the pandemic.

I don’t want to add to the noise, but throw a few thoughts out there to consider.

Obviously, no one saw this coming, and most of us were not prepared for the pandemic or everything that took place as a result of it. So many things that we took for granted-like freedom to wander out and about wherever and whenever we chose, was the first big casualty. And that soon became the least of our worries. We all have had to struggle through a very difficult time, and many have had to deal with terrible loss. Whether it be in losing a loved one, or still dealing with one who is sick, serious financial struggles and loss of income, and an uncountable number of  other things that were out of our control-it’s been a hard year.

No one needs or wants to be reminded of those things, but it’s not a bad idea to think about any and all the ways that this has been a blessing. 

I don’t like negativity. I live with a negative person-and it drains me, so I try very hard to be positive and find something positive to focus on no matter what.

I also try very hard to be grateful for all that I have, and find the blessings even in the hard times, trusting that God will work all things together somehow for good. It has been my daily practice for years to keep a journal of all the things I’m thankful for, and things like toilet paper might never have made the list before, but was a huge cause for celebration when you could find someJ

Here are a few other things I consider positives from the negative things that we’ve had to deal with this past year:

Haircuts-most of us saved several hundred dollars over the course of the year not being able to go to our stylist or salon. Some even learned how to cut their own hair-or became even more grateful for the skill of the stylist they have;)

Gas- I saved a few hundred dollars a month since I lost my real estate photography job and, all the places I generally lead workshops to were closed. That part is still a sad loss-especially financially, but recouping some of that helped.

Shopping – I’m not a big shopper, but I do love chasing bargains; so, I saved the money I would have spent buying something I probably didn’t need anyway, and saved the gas money. Every little bit helps.

Eating out – a lot of us tend to eat out more than we should. With almost everything closed down, we were not only forced to create meals at home, but for the most part the meals were much healthier, and saved us a ton of money.

Home projects-we finally had time to clean up our messes, freshen up paint, fix broken things, clean out the clutter, organize our spaces etc. And it got me focused on trying to become more of a minimalist than a collector of things. When Goodwill finally reopened, I had a vanload of stuff to give away!

Family – families were able to spend more time together, eat meals together, play games and do all those things that families should do but somehow became too busy for. Families grew closer together, got to know each other better and appreciate each other more. That’s priceless!

Explore new places – for those who were able to be out and about, the need to find new, safe, uncrowded places became the thing. I discovered lots of new places to walk when my regular trails became overcrowded. And even just getting out and driving backcountry roads felt good for the soul.

Being stuck at home also became a different blessing. Many people that might normally be planted in front of the TV became stir crazy and forced themselves to get out. Who wanted to sit around and watch the depressing news stories anyway?!

Along the same lines-I got tired of all of the negative in the news and on Facebook. I stepped away. I stopped listening to the news completely. When there was something I needed to know, I knew someone would make sure I knew it. This freed up more time to read, edit images, dream, set goals, etc

Zoom- ok, this one could go both ways. The blessing was that we still had a way to keep in touch with family and friends even though we couldn’t be with them in person. I know I feel like I’m on Zoom all the time-still multiple times a week, and it feels like a literal pain in the rear, but for me and my business it became a blessing.

In the past I struggled with not being able to have classes before a photo trek (which would have added value to the event), because people lived in so many different places it would have been hard to find a central location and an ideal time for everyone to meet. And, I didn’t know how to use it. But with the help of a teacher friend who got me started, I am now able to offer classes any time, without having to worry about it being too far for people to drive.

I also started having free weekly Zoom sessions with those who regularly attend my workshops, and it has been a great time for us to just chat, and laugh together and support one another. I even turned it into a free learning opportunity by having a weekly theme to photograph and then go through all the images together. I feel like that has brought me even closer to the people I work with and enable them to continue learning even when trapped at home. Also, since I record these classes and weekly sessions, I am able to share them with those who may have had a scheduling conflict, and they can now watch the material at their leisure. 

Greater Reach-though I had to postpone doing several local camera club presentations, it soon became an opportunity to give presentations to groups all over-including out of state. This provided me with the opportunity to develop a relationship with people all over the country-which has been a wonderful blessing!

I’m sure I forgot to mention a ton of things, but just thought I would share a little food for thought, in hopes that it might encourage others to make a list of their own of all the things that they are thankful for during this very challenging and stressful time.

Please, feel free to share the things that you, too are grateful for here in the comments. Let’s find ways to continue to encourage one another and find the silver lining through it all. 

Peace to you, my friends…

Val